An ace performance
Published 9:41 pm Friday, March 6, 2026
Nachtsheim delivers gem for Cowboys
Eric Nachtsheim began the season expected to be the Cowboys’ closer. Friday night, he became their ace.
In just his second start, Nachtsheim threw a gem as McNeese State took the second game of a doubleheader against Houston Christian behind his right arm, 4-2.
The Huskies took the opener 3-1, as the Southland Conference series was moved due to rain in the forecast for Sunday. The rubber game is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Joe Miller Ballpark.
Nachtsheim evened things up by striking out a career-high 16 while going the distance. He faced just 30 hitters, three over the minimum.
The senior allowed just three hits, two of them solo home runs, while walking none. It was the most strikeouts by a McNeese pitcher since Will Dion fanned 19 against Prairie View in 2021.
“I just wanted to go out there and attack hitters,” said Nachtsheim. “I tried to make good pitches. The whole goal is to get ahead and stay ahead.”
Home runs by Tyree Jackson in the third and Rhett Hendricks in the seventh were all the HCU offense had.
“I don’t care when I pitch, I just want to help us win,” said Nachtsheim, who improved to 3-0.
Nachtsheim struck out the side three times and got six in a row in the fifth and sixth innings.
The Cowboys scored two runs in both the first and fifth to support Nachtsheim. Hayden drove in three runs on a pair of doubles, finishing the night 4-for-4 to raise his average to .385.
Marcus Heusohn had a pair of doubles and drove in the other run for McNeese.
The rest was Nachtsheim, who wanted to finish what he started despite throwing 111 pitches.
“I pushed to try and stay in,” said Nachtsheim. “I wanted it.”
In the first game, McNeese managed just six hits, two by Bryce Fontenot, as Cooper Golden (1-2) took the loss despite going six strong innings. Golden allowed just two runs.
David Lopez worked the first five innings for the Huskies, giving up just one hit, to earn the victory. He improved to 2-1.
Louis Castano finished the game for his first save. Castano gave up just one hit, a one-out double to Fontenot in the ninth. He quickly got the next two outs to give HCU the victory.
“Give their two pitchers credit, they were good,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. “We kept getting out the same way in the first game. That’s what was frustrating.
McNeese’s only run came in the third on Stringfellow’s RBI single to right that scored Seth Fontenot from second. Seth Fontenot looked like he would be out on the throw, but he avoided the tag of HCU catcher Levi Castilleja, who was up the line to get the throw.
The Cowboys left six on base.
The Huskies scored a run in the second on Nico DeFazio’s single that scored Castilleja from second. Castilleja, who went 4-for-4, drove in HCU’s second run with a double in the third for a 2-0 lead.
Katcher Halligan ended the game’s scoring with an RBI single to right, as the Huskies produced three straight hits after two were out for the insurance run.
